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Kia noho tahi ki te kai
A place to sit down and a seat for everyone
He aha tēnei? | What’s this about?
Go Eco and The Serve have formed a new trust and shared kaupapa, He Manawaroa, and have a vison for shared community hub at the Pembroke Park clubhouse, 9 Pembroke Street, Frankton.
It will be a place where rescued food becomes a hot meal, where whānau are welcomed and served with dignity, and where kai, learning, te taiao and manaaki come together under one roof.
Hamilton City Council has already chosen Go Eco and The Serve as the preferred occupiers of the clubhouse. One step remains, and it’s where you come in.
Te take | What Council is deciding
Pembroke Park is currently a Recreation Reserve. That classification limits the site to sport and recreation, and restricts the kinds of leases allowed there.
Council is proposing to change it to a Local Purpose (Community) Reserve. This change would allow the clubhouse to be used for community activities like shared kai, learning, volunteering and community support.
Before a reserve can be reclassified, Council asks the public for feedback. Submissions are open now and close on 27 November 2026.
In short: a submission in support tells Council you want this site to be used for community.
Te mana o te kai | Why it’s important
Kia noho tahi ki te kai
A place to sit down
Whānau have told The Serve what they want most: a warm, dry place to sit down and eat comfortably, out of the weather.
Te mana o te tangata Dignity first
Support offered with dignity, not pity. Kai served at a table, where everyone is a guest rather than waiting in a queue.
Kotahi te tēpu
Many cultures, one table
The whānau who gather around kai in Kirikiriroa come from many cultures and from iwi across Aotearoa. Pembroke Park can be a place that serves all of us.
Me pēhea | How to have your say
It takes about five minutes.
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Go to Council’s Have Your Say page: haveyoursay.hamilton.govt.nz/pembrokepark
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Fill in your details.
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Say that you support the reclassification of Pembroke Park to a Local Purpose (Community) Reserve.
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Add a sentence or two in your own words about why a shared kai space is important to you, your whānau or your neighbourhood.
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If you’d like to speak to councillors about your submission, tick “Yes, I want to be heard”. This is optional.
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Submit before 27 November.
Ētahi kupu hei āwhina | Words to help you get started
Submissions in your own words carry the most weight. Feel free to use one of these lines as a starting point and add something of your own.
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“I support reclassifying Pembroke Park to a Local Purpose (Community) Reserve.”
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“Our community needs a consistent place to gather, learn and share kai.”
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“Sitting down to eat together with dignity builds stronger whānau and neighbourhoods.”
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“A shared community space will help us get through rising living costs and climate impacts together.”
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“Turning rescued food into hot meals is good for people and good for te taiao.”
A personal line can be as simple as who you are and why this place counts for you. For example: “I live in Frankton and would love a place nearby where my whānau can share a meal,” or “I volunteer with Food Rescue and see how much good kai there is to share and how we expand the capacity to collect more food.”
Ngā pātai | Questions
Who can make a submission?
Anyone. If you live nearby, use the park, or have been part of Go Eco’s or The Serve’s mahi, your voice is especially valuable.
Hasn’t Council already decided?
Council has chosen Go Eco and The Serve as the preferred occupiers. The law requires public feedback before a reserve can be reclassified. Your submission helps councillors make the final decision.
Is this a vote?
No. Council considers what people say, not just how many people say it. That’s why a line in your own words makes a difference.
What does “Yes, I want to be heard” mean?
It means you’d like the chance to speak briefly to councillors at a meeting about your submission. Council will contact you with the details. It’s optional, and your written submission counts either way.
Will my submission be public?
We are confiming with HCC
Can I submit without going online?
Confirming with HCC whether email or paper submissions are accepted.
You can also contact Council on 07 838 6699 or info@hcc.govt.nz.
What happens after submissions close?
Council staff will analyse all feedback and present it at a council meeting. People who asked to be heard can speak at that meeting. Council will then decide on the reclassification.
What about the Metro Judo Club?
Metro Judo Club has been part of the clubhouse’s story since 1995. We acknowledge three decades of community sport there, and we’ve asked Council to support the club well through any transition.
What about the rest of the park?
The proposal covers the area shown on Council’s map. We’ve asked Council to keep the open space and public access of the surrounding park.
Whakapā mai | Get in touch
Questions about the campaign: hello@goeco.org.nz, 07 839 4452
Questions about the submission process: Hamilton City Council, 07 838 6699 or info@hcc.govt.nz
Button: Have your say before 27 November